Banished

Shining Rock Software LLC · 2014 · $19.99 · Indie · deal grade A

Measured on 2026-10-01 22:37 UTC, 4 days ago. The whole catalog is re-measured daily; a game that just launched can move fast between passes.

Estimated net residual revenue: $4.2k to $6.3k per month
Opportunity: $10.0k per month at x1.90 dormancy
Estimated lifetime owners: 2.8M
90% positive across 43353 reviews · 48.9 reviews/month

Why it's flagged

Developer silent for 11.1 years
Studio inactive: no public activity across 1 tracked titles
Store page localized in only 1 language(s)
Last discounted 0 months ago, 4 sales in the last 12 months

Analyst notes (AI-assisted)

Note written 2026-08-25; the live figures above take precedence over any numbers in it.

A 2014 indie survival city-builder where players guide exiled settlers through resource scarcity, harsh winters, and population management with no endgame beyond expansion.

Banished is a dormant but critically admired title that established the template for a now-thriving survival town-builder subgenre, with solid residual engagement from a devoted mid-sized owner base. The IP is unencumbered, the codebase appears stable, and modding infrastructure remains active, making it an excellent acquisition candidate for a publisher seeking a proven catalog performer or a studio interested in expanding into derivative titles. Revival upside is constrained by developer silence and lack of endgame content, but steady organic monthly revenue and 90%+ positive sentiment suggest reinvestment or porting to new platforms could unlock dormant players. Most realistic play: acquisition.

Risk: Developer (studio_status: ghost) has not posted in 131+ months; engine maintenance and compatibility patches may require third-party intervention.
Risk: Genre has matured significantly since 2014; newer titles (Foundation, Manor Lords, Timberborn) offer endgame progression and visual polish that set player expectations Banished does not meet.
Risk: Player reviews consistently cite lack of endgame and reliance on mods for extended engagement, suggesting base game ceiling is well-understood by active audience.

This case as Markdown · Estimates carry ±30-50% error per title.